Blogging for the Gray Wolf

Dearest Wolf Warriors…I’m working on a post that should be finished today, which more fully addresses the current situation we are facing in the Senate. In the meantime continue to use this post and Senator contacts.

We are now fighting Senate budget bill rider 1709, introduced by Senator Jon Tester. It’s exactly the same as 1713 that was introduced into the House budget bill by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID). Tell Senators we want 1709 stripped out of the current Senate CR. We expect them to protect wolves and uphold the integrity of the ESA.

Make sure to keep the calls and faxes coming to the Senate. Concentrate on the key Senators I’ve listed but all Senators need to be called. Onward Wolf Warriors!!!

CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS

1-866.220.0044

1.877.851.6437

Here we go again. Wolves are being used as political footballs, by none other than Senate Democrats. They inserted language into the budget that will strip gray wolves of their ESA protections in the Northern Rockies, with no judicial review. The Dems apparently removed most of the bad riders out of the new CR but left the wolf delisting section in place. We can’t blame the Republicans for this one. Who would have thought Democrats would support a rider that would selectively remove a species from the ESA, damaging its integrity forever? No species will ever be safe again. All for political expediency.

Senator Tester faces a strong challenge by Rep. Denny Rehberg in 2012 for his Senate seat. Both are trying to out do each other to see who can look more anti-wolf and play to the hunting and ranching lobbies, who would like nothing better than to rid the Northern Rockies of wolves. It looks like the Dems will do anything to hold onto Tester’s seat and their majority in the Senate, even if it means throwing wolves under the bus. To say I’m disgusted would be an understatement.

Wolf Warriors, our strategy is simple. Start faxing and calling the Capital Switchboard this weekend. You can leave messages on the Senators answering machines. When Monday rolls around you’ll be able to speak to the Senator’s aides directly. Let them know how betrayed you feel that they would sacrifice wolves on the altar of political expediency. Ask them if they know wolves could be slaughtered in the hundreds if this so-called budget bill passes. It deserves to be called the “Wolf Slaughter Bill”.

The Senate majority leader,Harry Reid (D-NV), was quoted in the Washington Post on Wednesday, stating the Senate Democrats would fight the addition of riders to the budget bill. Today they did remove most of the riders with one big exception, WOLVES!!

“Reid indicated Wednesday that Senate Democrats will work to oppose the inclusion of those riders in a long-term spending measure.”

“They’re going to go away,” Reid said of the riders on the House-passed bill. “Let them bring these riders they have in individual pieces of legislation. They can pass these pretty easy in the House; send them over here.”

Here is what I will would say to Senator Reid, Majority Leader of the Senate.

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Dear Senator Reid,

Please remove section 1709 of the new Senate CR. It’s the twin of 1713, the rider introduced by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), into the House version of the budget bill, that would delist wolves in the Northern Rockies, without judicial review. Wolves and the ESA do not belong in budget bills.

Why are wolves being targeted for slaughter? Is it worth it to play politics with the ESA and leave wolves defenseless against the hate.

There’s a battle going in the Northern Rockies, called Wolf Wars. It’s pretty nasty and there are many hunters chomping at the bit, waiting for wolves to be delisted. Yet these are America’s wolves. They don’t belong to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon or Washington. They belong to the American people. Most Americans like wolves and want them protected. Please don’t listen to just special interests from the hunting and ranching lobbies.They have a vested interest in wanting wolves gone.

So many wolves are killed each year already. Five hundred wolves died in the Northern Rockies in 2009. 272 killed by deadly Wildlife Services. 206 by the wolf hunts and another 26 wolves killed by poachers, private citizens, motor vehicle accidents and general wolf morality. There were approx. 520 wolves in Montana before the hunts, the 2010 fall count was 400, down over a hundred wolves.

Senator Reid, wolves can’t take anymore killing. They’ve had their puppies slaughtered, their families destroyed, they are relentlessly hounded and tracked. A wolf hating website even discussed the idea of hunters spreading Xylitol on guts piles so wolves will eat them and die. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener toxic to canines. This is the environment that exists now for wolves in the Northern Rockies, WITH ESA PROTECTION. Can you imagine what will happen to them if control is turned back to the states?

Just before Judge Molloy relisted wolves, Montana had raised the hunt quota to 186, more then doubling the number of wolves that would be killed. They also wanted a wolf archery and back country rifle season. Idaho was discussing trapping, baiting and calling wolves for their 2010 hunts. Sound like a good environment to entrust wolves’ lives too?

Wolves were exterminated once in the West. They are protected under the ESA for a reason It’s not just the number of wolves that exist but the climate they live in. They are used as scapegoats and demonized by special interests, who spread myths and rumors about wolves. This species needs the protection of the ESA.

The anti-wolf crowd couldn’t win in court and now they’re trying an end round the ESA.

Is it right or fair to put wolves lives on the line for a few votes? Is it proper science to allow politicians to make decisions on what species should be listed? Who will be next? Grizzly bears, when they get in someone’s way?

1709 would place the ESA on a slippery slope, destroying its integrity.

Americans won’t forget at the polls, if Democrats turn their backs on the Endangered Species Act!!

You stated last Wednesday the bad riders attached to the budget bill would go away. Well there is one rider that’s conveniently still in the bill, courtesy of Senator Tester. Please stand up for wolves and make sure it is removed.

Thank you,

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Here are the names of key Senators to call. Concentrate on them, then call as many Senators as you can. (We want them to be greeted on Monday with a big pile of faxes, all from wolf advocates.)

We cannot abandon the wolves and let Senate Democrats play election politics with their lives. Shame on any Democrat that supports this. Don’t stop calling until you feel like your dialing finger is going to fall off. They will hear from the American people on this!!!

Capital Switchboard Numbers – give the name of the Senator & you will be transferred to their office. You will then either speak to a staff member, or on the weekend – to voice mail.

Personally, I’m done with the Democratic Party if they go through with this. I will never in my life vote for another Democrat again!!

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TALKING POINTS

-Let the Senators know you support wolves and want them protected.

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-Tell Senators to strip any wolf delisting riders out of the final budget bill. It would delist wolves in the Northern Rockies, without judicial review and requires that states only maintain a population of just 300 wolves in the entire region. This means over 80% of wolves in the Northern Rockies could be slaughtered. It’s wolf breeding season, pregnant alphas could die in the slaughter that would be coming.

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-The states of Idaho and Montana should not be allowed to “manage” wolves. Their prejudice against wolves is overriding good judgement and sound science. Idaho just proposed a bill that would classify wolves as vermin (predator status) and place a $500 bounty on their heads.

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Delisting wolves by inserting this language into a budget will, undermines the ESA and tampers with one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation ever written. Do they want this to happen on their watch?

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-Montana and Idaho politics are dominated by ranching and hunting interests, effectively drowning out the voices of Wildlife Watchers.

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– The budget bill is no place to legislate the fate of wolves or any Endangered Species.

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We are counting on Democrats to do the right thing. We are counting on Senator Reid to stick to his recent statements that the Senate would work to remove the bad riders from a long-term spending budget bill. If they do not do so, wolves will die in the hundreds. Tell the Senators that wolves lives are in their hands.

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I know I’ve said this before but we are facing one of the most serious attacks on gray wolves, since their delisting. The states are hostile to wolves and returning them to state management, without judicial review, will be the end of wolves in the Northern Rockies. They will be doomed. The hatred and prejudice that exists will cause them great suffering and harm.

STAND UP FOR WOLVES NOW!! DO NOT RELENT!! DO NOT GIVE UP!!

WE ARE THEIR ONLY VOICE!!

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Senate bill would lift wolf protections in MT, ID

Senate bill would lift wolf protections in MT, ID

Story Published: Mar 4, 2011 at 7:00 PM MST

Story Updated: Mar 4, 2011 at 7:00 PM MST

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Gray wolves in Montana and Idaho would lose their Endangered Species Act protections under a provision inserted into a U.S. Senate budget bill.

The provision was included in a bill introduced Friday by Senate Democrats to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year.

The passage on wolves is identical to language in a budget measure that passed the House last month. It would require Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to reissue within 60 days a 2009 agency rule that turned over control of wolves to state wildlife officials.

That rule was overturned last year by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula. The measure before the Senate would shield Salazar’s actions from court review.

Thank you, Jon. I didn’t know that Wildlife Services might be taking a cut; this is great news! I will send some e-mails and try to get the Senators to make it a reality. As a conservative I have disliked farm/ranch subsidies of every stripe since I found out about them. I don’t quite understand why some of the people who claim to oppose government interference in the economy, bailouts, etc. still support handouts for ranchers.

This is disgusting. And to top it off you have the white trailer trash postings of the toothless wonder Hemming, the cougar killer Billie Joe Bob and the mental midget Scottie boy Rockhead on testers facebook page. If these Democrats allow Tester to sell out wolves in this toxic environment there is no hope for this country. Call every senator and demand that this rider be removed. They are using Tester and will not vote for him anyway these idiots

We don’t need Tester anyway- when it boils down to it who is worse- Conrad Burns or Jon Tester- you get the same result- pandering to special interst groups like ranchers and outfitters. Nabeki- I’m with you if they sell out wolves in this environment we should start a third party that will listen to our interests and fight for the environment.

Why are there no Republicans on the list to call. I have a hard time believing that it was only Democrats who are supporting this rider. I think you are making a mistake by blaming only Democrats unless your agenda is to bash democrats for the tea party or something.

This time around I’m not blaming Republicans..even though it was Simpson (R-Idaho) that started this whole thing with 1713. I want to put the pressure on Dems to do the right thing and strip this language out of the bill. It was Tester who pushed to have it included. I do have a list of all the Senators to call for each state. It’s not about bashing anyone, the Senators I listed are the ones that are most friendly to the ESA. They are the ones we need to pressure to strip this language out of the bill. If you have any Republicans that you think should be included in the list let me know.

Richard Norton, Nixon was a repulican who gave us the Endangered Species Act.We should call Dems and Repulicans.It is certainly not the time for power struggles at this period of time when everyone is trying to make ends meet,but Democrats are afraid of losing the Senate majority in the oncoming election. That bill with Secton 1709 would give a good chance for Tester to win in the next electon in his state and he is Democrat.This is poliltics at it’s best or worst, depending how you look at it.They are supposed to be listening to “we the people” and not by those indutries,etc. with deep pockets or not the right intentons. Yes, maybe by calling Repulicans,too, a repulican could be swayed the other directon .Sometimes I wonder sometimes if they remember who they work for.Thank you.

I have a teensy tiny question. How is it even possible to have a bill declare itself free from judicial review? If Congress can just do that with any bill it likes, then the ability of the courts to oversee the legislature and ensure that laws are constitutional and consistent with previous laws, is out the window. It’s hard for me to believe that merely claiming that this provision is not subject to judicial review will preclude court challenges.

Your question goes to the heart of this matter. And I’m ashamed to say that the culprit who sponsored the rider is Montana’s Senator Jon Tester (a supposed Democrat). We have been discussing the issue of eliminating judicial review and our opinion is that it’s unconstitutional. Yes, Congress can make laws — but they have to be within the side-bars of our Constitutional rights. The First Amendment guarantees that “Congress shall make no law” that abridges our right ““to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” That’s exactly what Tester’s scumbucket rider would do.

So, although it will likely be challenged in court should it succeed in remaining on the funding bill, I suspect in the end it will be tossed.

I agree captainsakonna….let’s hope it doesnt’ come to having to challenge this. We have to keep calling, faxing and letting the Senators know we want wolves and the ESA protected. I can’t allow myself to believe there aren’t Democrats who care about wolves and will remove this rider. Thing is, where are they?

after making calls this morning Bingamans office said they are taking MANY calls on this issue. keep it up!!! Reid’s office seems testy- I have called them everyday and have been extremely nice and respectful, but i have asked them to verify the reports that Reid has been open to selling out wolves and the ESA for a few votes- Is that true!!!! You get silence!!!

william, I’ve been getting mixed replies…..some say we love gray wolves and the esa. But so far not one Senator has stepped up and said they will introduce an amendment to stirp 1709 out of the budget bill. We have to keep pressuring them to put their money where their mouth is. I’m tired of empty promises.
There’s going to be a vote tomorrow. God only knows what will happen. I don’t think there will be a consensus.

I have called on the list above today and the White House, and now I am to post on facebook this story and take the fight to my friends and family to help save this magnificent animal the Gray Wolf. Keep up the fight and never let anyone tell you they are not worth it. We can’t let them down not now not ever. They belong running wild and free just like Mother Nature intended them to be. God did not create them to live in a cage or wildlife habitat the created them to be free all over the world and we need to keep them that way.

The hour is short White Wolf…we’ve tried to get this story out of the Northern Rockies for two years but most of what they print is negative. The rest of America does not know what is going on. This is a nightmare I can’t wake up from.

Stop killing the wolves. They are wonderful animals and if the people with sheep and other herbivores want to keep their flock safe, for God’s sake tell them to get a guard dog. It is so much easier and gross to just kill these magnifigant animals that keep the herds healthy than take the time to solve their problem a cruel way. Shame on them.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Wolf 253, the beloved Yellowstone Druid wolf named Limpy, who was shot and killed in March 08, on the very day ESA protections were lifted for the gray wolf, by the then Bush Administration.